Washboard



r PATENTED FEB. 2, 1904.

w. H. GLADWILL.

WAS HBOARDI APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17. 1903.

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UNITED- STATES j Patented February 2, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

! lN ASHBQAFiDj SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent a... 751,282,. aated February 2, 19o4.

Application filed February 1"], 1903. Serial No. 143,783. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. .GLADWILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washboards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in washboards for laundry purposes; and my object is to present a large fluted rubbing-surface to the garments in order that they may be ,on line H II of Fig. 1.. Fig. 3 is I a broken detail sectional view taken on line III III of Fig. 1. tubular frame has been substituted for the wooden one. Fig. 5 is a transversesection of thesame, taken on line VV'of Fig. 4.

In constructing the washboard I employ two longitudinal strips 1, the-lower endsof' which act as supporting-legs 2, and they have recesses 3 extending from a short distance below their upper ends down to the upper portion of the legs to form flanges 4. v

5 indicates a back piece secured at its opposite sides upon flanges 4 and provided at its front surface with a central longitudinal strip 6 and triangular side strips 7, which latter assist in securing the back piece and longitudinal side strips together.

The upper surfaces of strips 6 and 7 are composed of reverse curves which form two parallel grooves 8 attheir adjacent edges and are covered with a closely-fitting sheet of zinc 9, provided with a depending marginal flange 10, the sides of which are secured between the sides of recesses 3 and the adjacent Fig. 4 is a modified form in which a sides of strip.7, while its ends are secured between the ends'of, strips 6 and 7 and transverse pieces 11, which latter are secured to back piece 5 and the opposite ends of recesses '3, the upper piece acting as a shelf for' the reception of the washing compound.

Zinc 9 is provided with a series of sinuous flutes 12, which I find present a much more effective rubbing-surface than the ordinary straight transverse flutes, as they take a better hold on the garments, and consequently facilitate the cleansing process.

As the soiled'water is expressed from the garmentsit'is conducted back into the tub by longitudinal channels 13, arranged in the grooves or depressed portions 14 of the zinc covering.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 4 and 5 ametallic frame is substituted for the wooden one and consists of a single piece of tubing 15, curved at its upper end 16 to formthe top of the board and extends below the zinc covering to form supporting-legs 17.

Zinc covering 9 is similar to the one above described except that it islooped'around the sides of the'frame and has its ends brazed or otherwise secured together below the rubbingsurface in order to support the latter and pre- Nent it from springing beneath the pressure towhich it is subjected;

While I'havedescribed the rubbing-surface as being composed of zinc, it is apparent that wood, glass, or. other equally as suitablematerial may be substituted. 1

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is

1. A washboard provided with a frame having two longitudinal side pieces and a back-- 1 piece, asultable covering secured to the frame and provided at its rubbing-surface with a pair of deep longitudinal grooves the bottom portions of which almost touch the back plate,

while their upper portions are in a horizontal plane with the front edges of the longitudinal side pieces, said grooves being.provided at their lower portions with longitudinal ,channels having continuous straight sides and continuous straightbottom portions, the rubbingsurface of the covering being'als'o provided 100 with a series of flutes which are sinuous in front elevation and slope toward the longitudinal channels whereby they are drained.

2. A washboard comprising two longitudinal side pieces, top and bottom pieces, aback piece connecting all of said pieces, a central longitudinal strip and two triangular sidestrips secured to the back piece,the surfaces of said strips being composed of reverse curves forming longitudinal grooves, a metal plate I covering said strips, a flange depending from said plate whereby the latter is secured to the frame of the washboard, sinuous flutes arranged in the metallic plate, and longitudinal channels arranged to drain said flutes, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WM. H. GLADWILL. Witnesses:

F. G. FISCHER, LESLIE E. BAIRD. 

